[nolok]

Which is unfair and short sighted, given that Ballmer is the guy who turned it from the windows shop to a company where windows is just one of 3 growing massive sections (plus a few smaller ones), with windows not even being the first one anymore.

[rootusrootus]

IIRC, Ballmer actually started many of the things that we saw happening early in Satya's tenure. So he deserves at least some credit for seeing the writing on the wall and trying to adapt to it. Perhaps he also figured that in order for the transformation to really happen he had to not be the one trying to lead it.

[devoutsalsa]

Ballmer also took charge right after the dotcom bust. Even though the stock tanked from ludicrous highs, revenue steadily grew under his tenure. I can’t speak to how company longevity performed under his reign.

[WalterBright]

I know Steve. He's been unfairly maligned for a long time. The biography of him is pretty mean. I doubt the author ever even met him.